Garment drying apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A garment drying device particularly adapted for drying pants such as jeans, khakis, chinos, shorts, or other types of trousers. The garment drying device includes a spreader bar having a hanger retained thereto and the ends of the spreader bar are provided with arcuate surfaces and spring clips shaped so as to be juxtaposed to the arcuate surfaces for clipping to the opening of the pant legs with the result that the pants are hung to dry in an inverted position, promoting air flow for even drying of the pants, so that the wet weight of the material comprising the pants exerts constant downward force on the pants, minimizing shrinkage of the pants in the vertical dimension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for drying a clothing garment and, although the invention can be used with any clothing articles, it is particularly useful for drying clothing articles comprised of fabrics that are prone to shrinkage. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for drying an article of clothing that minimizes shrinkage of the fabric comprising the garment. In more detail, the present invention relates to an apparatus that air dries a garment such as a pair of blue jeans, khakis, or other pants or trousers with a high content of threads such as cotton that are prone to shrinkage when wet, in an inverted vertical, or upright, position and that uses the weight (for instance, the fabric comprising the waistband and seat of the of the trousers or other clothing article) to exert enough downward force on the garment to counteract the effects of shrinkage.

In part because the synthetic fibers (LYCRA® or other elastic fibers) can be damaged by heat, in part to preserve the life of the garment, and in part because heat tends to cause shrinkage of cotton and other natural fibers, many clothing articles are air dried rather than tumbled dry after laundering. A pair of blue jeans, khakis, or other pants or trousers may, for instance, be draped over a hanger or hung from a line stretched over a bathtub or outdoors. Even a lightweight pair of blue jeans takes a long time to dry in this manner, but regardless of the weight of the fabric, the bigger problem for many of the owners of such articles of clothing is the tendency of the fabric comprising the garment to shrink, especially in the vertical dimension, and change the fit of the garment.

Conventional air-drying apparatus employ small clips and/or rods to support the damp garment. The use of such apparatus leads to misshapen garments, uneven drying and extended drying times. Further, conventional air-drying apparatus do not provide an easy to use, cost effective, consistent and repeatable method to air dry stretch fabric garments to maintain and preserve garment shape, fit, performance and life expectancy.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an inverted air-drying apparatus for jeans, pants, and shorts comprised of stretch and non-stretch fabrics, particularly fabrics comprised of threads prone to shrinkage. This apparatus uses gravity and the damp weight of an inverted pant/garment during air-drying to reduce the vertical component of garment shrinkage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inverted air-drying apparatus that uses an “inverted suspension method” to place prolonged downward force on the fabric comprising the garment during air-drying to counteract, and therefore minimize, shrinkage in the vertical direction. This prolonged downward force virtually eliminates any need to use a hot steam iron or to steam the garment to stretch the garment to its original size/dimension, and/or to minimize or remove shrinkage along the vertical seams of the garment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a unique Inverted Air-Drying Apparatus design that allows improved upward air flow through the legs of a garment such as shorts, jeans, trousers, or other pants. Improved airflow also promotes uniform drying of the garment and reduces or eliminates the possibility of prolonged exposure to moisture during the drying, thus eliminating nuisance odor development caused by bacterial growth.

There are many advantages and benefits of both the apparatus and the method of the present invention including, but not limited to:

-   -   Air dries jeans (pants and shorts too) straight and ready to         wear.     -   Reduces shrinkage by using gravity and the weight of damp fabric         to minimize shrinkage.     -   Prolongs garment longevity by eliminating mechanical damage from         heat and mechanical dryers     -   Fast and easy way to vertically dry jeans, pants and shorts     -   Portable . . . easily fits in a suitcase.     -   Space saving . . . Hangs almost anywhere.     -   Affordable . . . Low Cost.         Because of these advantages and benefits, it will be recognized         by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to         the drying of jeans, pants, and/or shorts and that it may be         used for air drying any garment that can be supported on the         apparatus of the present invention as described below.

This listing of some of the objects of the present invention is intended to be illustrative. Other objects, and the many advantages of the present invention, will be made clear to those skilled in the art in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) of the invention and in any drawing(s) appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the embodiment(s) of the present invention described herein are only examples of specific embodiment(s) of the invention, set out for the purpose of describing the making and using of the invention, and that the embodiment(s) shown and/or described herein are not the exclusive way(s) to implement the teachings of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These several objects, and the advantages of the present invention, are met by providing a device for drying a garment comprising first and second spring-loaded clips, an elongate spreader bar having the first and second clips located proximate the ends thereof, and the inside surfaces of each of the clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to each respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each clip. In a particularly preferred embodiment, arcuate surfaces are formed proximate the ends of the spreader bar and the clips are provided with curved, laterally-extending arms shaped so that one surface of the spring-loaded portion of the clip fits closely to a respective arcuate surface of the spreader bar so that an opening into the garment is retained spread open when the garment is retained on the spreader bar by the clips.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of drying a garment comprising the steps of inverting the garment, gripping the garment at an opening of the garment, retaining the garment to a spreader bar for hanging the garment in the inverted position for drying, and opening one or more of the openings of the hanging garment for promoting airflow through the inverted garment. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention also contemplates shaping the opening of the garment at the point at which the garment is retained to the spreader bar by the interaction of arcuate surfaces formed on the spreader bar and curved, laterally-extending arms formed on spring-loaded clips, the curve of the laterally-extending arms being shaped so as to fit closely to a respective arcuate surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are side elevational, end elevational, and bottom plan views, respectively, of a first embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are side elevational, end elevational, and top plan views, respectively, of a second embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are side elevational, end elevational, top plan, and bottom plan views, respectively, of the garment drying apparatus of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures, a first embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown, the present invention comprises an elongate spreader bar 12 having a hook 14, preferably a swivel hook, affixed thereto for hanging spreader bar 12 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described below.

As best shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, first and second clips 16 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 12 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each of clips 16 is spring-loaded (the spring not being visible in the drawing) and one end of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 18 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 16 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 16 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art.

Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a material such as silicone or other polymer having a high coefficient of friction is applied as at reference numeral 20 to one or both of the inside surfaces of the clips 16 to help retain a garment to clip 16 on spreader bar 12. Alternatively, the inside surface of the clips 16 is provided with grooves or other textured surface that can, for instance, be molded into the plastic or other material comprising clip 16, for retaining a garment on spreader bar 12.

A second embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 22 in FIG. 2. In the embodiment 20, the present invention comprises an elongate spreader bar 32 and hook 34, preferably a swivel hook, affixed to spreader bar 32 for hanging spreader bar 32 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described below.

As best shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, first and second clips 36 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 32 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, each of clips 36 is spring-loaded (the spring not being visible in the drawing) and one end of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 38 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 36 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 36 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art and as explained above in connection with the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, each of the inside surfaces of clips 36 is provided with a bow 38, preferably comprised of a resilient material such as a polymeric plastic so that it can deformed while tending to spring back to its original shape, to hold the opening of a pant leg (shown in dotted, or shadow, lines in FIG. 2) open as best shown in FIG. 2C for promoting air flow through the pantleg and uniform drying of the fabric comprising the pants. Although the material comprising each of the bows 38 is preferably of a type that accomplishes this function, as described above in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a material such as silicone or other polymer having a high coefficient of friction (not shown) may be applied to one or both of the inside surfaces of the clips 36 to help retain a garment to clip 36 on spreader bar 32.

Those skilled in the art will recognize the desirability of retaining the opening of a pant leg open for promoting air flow from the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, above. That same goal can be accomplished with structure other than that shown in FIG. 2, however. For instance, although not accomplish the intended result as well as the structure shown n FIG. 2, even the structure shown in FIG. 1 functions in similar fashion to hold open the opening into the pant leg of a pair of pants retained to spreader bar 12. Lightweight forms (not shown) that are tethered to spreader bar 12 may also be provided for inserting down into the opening of the pant leg for this same purpose and of course it will be recognized that the bows 38 shown in FIG. 2 may extend further around the arc visible in FIG. 2C, even all the way around the arc to form a circle, if needed to function even better for this purpose. It is envisioned that a bow that extends so far around the inside of the opening of the pant leg as to form a circle is particularly useful for holding open the openings of pants of the type known as “wide leg” and/or “bell bottom” pants. The opposing ends of bows 38 that extend so far around the opening of the pant leg as to form a circle can also be provided with a clip (not shown) of a type known in the art for stretching the material comprising the pant leg if necessary or desirable for holding the opening open to promote uniform drying and improved air flow through the pant leg.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 40. Garment drying apparatus 40 is comprised of an elongate spreader bar 42 and hook 44, preferably a swivel hook, affixed to spreader bar 42 for hanging spreader bar 42 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described above in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, first and second clips 46 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 42 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of clips 46 is spring-loaded (the spring not being shown in the drawings for purposes of clarity) and one side of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 48 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 46 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 46 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art and as explained above in connection with the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the inside surfaces of clips 46 is provided with a resilient material such as a polymeric plastic either with a high coefficient of friction or soft enough that it can deformed while tending to spring back to its original shape, to hold the opening of a pant leg (not shown) open for promoting air flow through the pantleg and uniform drying of the fabric comprising the pants.

Those skilled in the art will recognize the desirability of retaining the opening of a pant leg open for promoting air flow from the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, above and, to that end, the garment drying apparatus 40 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided with arcuate surfaces 50 (best shown in FIGS. 3, 4C and 4D) either forming the ends or being located proximate the ends of spreader bar 42. Clips 46 are provided with curved arms 52 extending laterally from the angled side 48 of each clip, the curve of the arms 52 being shaped so that the arms are juxtaposed, or fit closely against, the arcuate surfaces 50 of spreader bar 42 when the clips 46 are not being held open against the tension of the spring. When retained to spreader bar 42 by clips 46, the interaction of the arcuate surfaces 50 formed in spreader bar 42 and the curved, laterally-extending arms 52 of clips 46 retains the opening into the garment in an open position. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will recognize that the spreader bar 42 need not itself be curved at each end to provide the arcuate surfaces described herein. The results described herein can also be achieved by, for instance, a spreader bar that is straight along its entire length, one side of such a straight spreader bar having a concave surface formed therein proximate the ends of the spreader bar with the clips 46 being mounted to the straight spreader bar at the concave surface. In another embodiment, the spreader bar is curved along much or all of its length so as to better approximate the shape of certain garments when the garment is retained to the spreader bar for drying. Note that the spreader bar may be curved along its length for this purpose in either direction, or even curved upwardly or downwardly from the point at which hanger 44 is affixed to the spreader bar, depending upon the type of garment that is to be retained thereon.

Regardless of the particular embodiment utilized, those skilled in the art will recognize from this description that the jeans, pants, shorts, or other garment retained to spreader bar 12, 32, or 42 is retained on the spreader bar in an inverted position. As used herein, the term “inverted” is intended to refer to the retention of the garment to the spreader bar by engaging the opening of the pant leg with the garment hanging downwardly from the spreader bar. As described above, when retained to the spreader bar in this inverted fashion, the damp weight of the garment provides prolonged, evenly-distributed, downward force on the fabric comprising the garment that tends to resist or counteract shrinkage of the fabric, especially in the vertical dimension.

The unique design of the apparatus of the present invention improves air flow through the garment. As a result, the improved airflow leads to uniform garment drying and elimination of possible prolonged exposure to moisture during the drying cycle, thus reducing or eliminating nuisance bacteria and possible odor development. (i.e., the sour smell).

Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that certain changes can be made to the component parts of the apparatus of the present invention without changing the manner in which those parts function and/or interact to achieve their intended result. All such changes, and others that will be clear to those skilled in the art from this description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended to fall within the scope of the following, non-limiting claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for drying a garment comprising: first and second clips; an elongate spreader bar having said first and second clips affixed proximate the ends thereof; and the inside surfaces of each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.
 2. The drying device of claim 1 wherein the inside surfaces of said clips are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips.
 3. The drying device of claim 2 wherein said garment retaining structure comprises a bow extending from the inside surfaces of each of said clips.
 4. The drying device of claim 3 wherein each of said bows is comprised of a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open.
 5. A device for drying a garment comprising: first and second spring-loaded clips; an elongate spreader bar having arcuate surfaces formed either at or proximate the ends thereof, said first and second clips being affixed to the respective ends of said spreader bar and being formed so that the spring-loaded portion of said clips is juxtaposed to the respective arcuate surfaces; and each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.
 6. The drying device of claim 5 wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips.
 7. The drying device of claim 5 wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open.
 8. A method of drying a garment comprising the steps of inverting the garment, gripping the garment at an opening of the garment, retaining the garment on a spreader bar for hanging the garment in the inverted position for drying, and opening one or more of the openings of the hanging garment for promoting airflow through the inverted garment.
 9. The method of claim 8 additionally comprising the step of retaining the opening of the garment open during drying. 